Cost of living near Heilbronn / Schwäbisch Hall

We're getting ready to move to Germany in a couple of months and I'm quite worried about our financial situation, given the continuous slide of the dollar. We'll continue working for our employers here in the US and will get paid in dollars. Aside from the house rental/ leasing costs, what are some of the other costs approximately, eg. cost of car insurance, health insurance (we'll be w/ AOK), DSL/ Internet, cell phone, regular phone, etc.? We'll be living in a rural area, near Heilbronn-Schwaebisch Hall. Would you say that food costs are much higher, higher, equal to or less than in the US?

Thanks!

Your question isn't easily answered, since there are so many variables. There are all sorts of telephone+internet packages available, so you could pay anywhere from 30 to 50 euros per month + long distance calls. Being in a rural area you will find your selection of internet providers a bit limited. Where I am, for example, only Deutsche Telekom will hook up a DSL connection, and I can't get anything faster than DSL1000. Your available speed choices will also impact price. Make sure you go for flat rate internet.

Be careful which cell phone provider you decide to go with. Coverage in rural areas can be problematic. In my last apartment, only Vodafone D2 was accessable. Friends with other providers got weak or no signal in my village. So first find out which networks are best for your area. Then decide whether you prefer a 2-year contract with regular minimum monthly fees, or a pay-as-you-go cell phone.

Grocery prices can vary quite a bit, depending on where you shop, what products you buy, and if you pay attention to sales. You'll most likely be going to Aldi, Lidl or Kaufland. See their web sites for an idea of prices.

Car insurance depends on your age, your driving record, and your car. Make sure that you bring all your insurance & driving records when you come over, and go to an insurance broker. You won't get the full discounted rate but shouldn't have to start off at the high beginner's rate either. You might find that insurance itself is cheaper, but the costs for maintaining and running your car will definitely be higher in Germany. Be prepared for a real shock the first time you fill up the gas tank. The closest gas station to me is currently selling regular unleaded for 1.489 euro/litre.

Sorry I can't help with your health insurance costs since I'm not with AOK. But search a little and you'll find lots of info here on the site.

Also be warned that many landlords tend to under-estimate utility and other costs aside from basic rent. (water, electricity etc.) These "nebenkosten" can end up being an unhappy suprise at the end of the year when actual use is compared to the estimate. For the first two or three months, keep an eye on hot water and electricity use, and then perhaps adjust your monthly payment up a bit (or your savings) so you don't get stuck with an unexpected big bill at the end of the year.

Good luck with the move!

hi, i live in heilbronn which is not so 'rural' and am hooked up to alice. we got a flat rate for 29.90 a month which includes internet and house telephone (calls cost extra).
then youve got cabel 16.95 but we only receive german channels (with the exeption of cnn and mtv)
then youve got a tv licence to pay - 50euro 1/4ly
we pay 45 for electric a month and 66 for gas and 50 for water and at the end of the year it usually covers the bills.
we pay around 400 a month on groceries but that includes nappys and baby food e.t.c. which are quite expensive!
a vodafone flatrate + sms flatrate is a good option approx.45 euro a month as you have free calls and sms within d2 but foreign calls are extra.
health insurance is a difficult 1. when i first moved here i wasnt married and when i fell pregnant we had to pay everytime we went to the doctor for checks which was expensive considering the amount of checks and blood tests you need, when i was 4-5 months pregnant we got married and as hes german and has a job i was automaticly aloud to be added on to his health insurance which was provided from his work. at the beginning of the pregnancy we looked around for privat health insurance but it was all quite expesive. cant you get health insurance through your husbands work? if you had a german work contract you would automaticly get insurance with only a small contribution required.
i hope all goes ok and you find the best offers availible.
you can contact me any time if you have any more questions.

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply and for the great info!
I've looked at the Aldi and Lidl sites, definitely gives us a better picture of how far our $ will stretch in those stores.
I know that cost of living is very variable and really appreciate your answers!
No, we can't get health ins. through my dh's work since he won't be employed by a German company either.
Definitely need to look into getting hired by German company in the long term.
Thank you, Nellie, for offering to help us if we have more questions. :-)

Schwäbisch Hall is rather rural though ;-)
(and the area between it and Heilbronn even more so)